Gov. Deval Patrick wins second term; local voters sound off on race

Polls suggested a tighter race, but Patrick edged Baker by 48 to 42 percent, with about 90 percent of precincts counted. Many more obstacles are ahead for Patrick's second term: rebuild the state's battered economy, restore faith in an administration that was pushed in the re-election campaign, and start closing a projected $2 billion budget gap.

By Ian B. Murphy/Daily News staff

Milford Daily News

By Ian B. Murphy/Daily News staff

Posted Nov. 3, 2010 at 12:01 AM
Updated Nov 3, 2010 at 3:17 AM

By Ian B. Murphy/Daily News staff

Posted Nov. 3, 2010 at 12:01 AM
Updated Nov 3, 2010 at 3:17 AM

» Social News

Voters yesterday decided Deval Patrick deserves a second term, preferring him to Republican Charlie Baker and two other candidates.

Polls suggested a tighter race, but Patrick edged Baker by 48 to 42 percent, with about 90 percent of precincts counted.

Many more obstacles are ahead for Patrick's second term: rebuild the state's battered economy, restore faith in an administration that was pushed in the re-election campaign, and start closing a projected $2 billion budget gap.

"None of this will be easy," Patrick told supporters in a victory speech last night. "But I'm not interested in what's easy. I'm interested in what's right. Tomorrow each and every one of us goes back to work."

Tim Cahill, who remains the state treasurer until January, had 7 percent of the vote at press time.

Cahill, already lagging in the polls, had to suffer through the defection of running mate Paul Loscocco just one month before Election Day. Loscocco, a former Republican state representative from Holliston, left Cahill's campaign and endorsed Baker on Oct. 1.

A flurry of lawsuits and allegations followed. Cahill claimed Baker's camp helped plan the defection and filed suit to prevent former campaign aides from providing information to Baker's campaign. Loscocco and those aides alleged Cahill illegally marshaled the state treasurer's staff for the campaign, and Cahill worked with Patrick against Baker behind the scenes.

Green-Rainbow party candidate Jill Stein, a physician from Lexington, had 1 percent of the vote at press time.

Baker worked for governors Bill Weld and Paul Cellucci in the '90s, first as the secretary of Health and Human Services and then as secretary of administration and finance. Baker went on to become CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care; he stepped down in July 2009 to run for governor.

Patrick was elected in 2006, after 16 consecutive years of Republican control of the governor's seat, after serving as Bill Clinton's top civil rights lawyer in the U.S. Justice Department.

Framingham voter Nathan Caitz said he voted for Patrick because he likes the governor's potential for a second term and the way he rebounded after a rough start.

"I really liked his ad when he really talked about his positive message and really believing in the commonwealth," in contrast with Baker's negative campaign tactics, Caitz said.

Caitz said he voted for Republicans Mitt Romney and William Weld and likes that a Republican governor can bring "checks and balance" to a Democrat-controlled Legislature. He said Baker is a fine candidate, but "I'd like to see what (Patrick) could do in another four years."

In Natick, voters outside Wilson Middle School alternated between votes for Patrick and Baker. "I wanted to vote for Deval," said Bill Barclay. "I want to make sure he stays right where he is, and to participate as a Democrat today."

Page 2 of 2 - "I don't believe in Deval Patrick," said Michelle Landurand. "I think he ran the state pretty poorly there the last few years."

In Marlborough, Michael Ossing, a Marlborough city councilor, voted for Baker.

"I like his fiscal approach," said Ossing, chairman of the City Council's Finance Committee.

Michelle Bodin-Hettinger, a Marlborough School Committee member, said she supports Patrick.

"I think we've turned into such an impatient society," Bodin-Hettinger said. "The economy is the pits and we expect people to go in and, in no time at all, fix it. It's just not reality."

(Danielle Ameden and Paul Crocetti contributed to this report. Ian B. Murphy can be reached at 508-767-0235 or imurphy@cnc.com.)